Bobby's Regret
by veiledndarkness
Summary: What was broken, can be fixed, but nothing will make it less painful. Sequel to Yet Another Mistake, Another Wrong Choice


Title: Bobby's Regret

Sequel to: Yet Another Mistake, Another Wrong Choice

Author: veiledndarkness

Rating: PG-13

Word Count: 1500

Summary: What was broken, can be fixed, but nothing will make it less painful.

Warnings: Usual disclaimer. They aren't mine. They never will be.

Notes: This is a very Alternate Universe, one where technically the movie doesn't take place. I figure the ages are the same as the movie. Hey, why not?

Also, you really should read Yet Another Mistake, Another Wrong Choice before reading this, it'll make more sense.

0000

Evelyn had waited until she was certain that Bobby was gone before she went upstairs. She pushed the bedroom door open and stepped in, one hand over her mouth as she saw Jack shaking on his bed, curled up tightly and weeping into his knees.

"Oh Jackie," she murmured. She sat on his bed, and without warning, Jack launched himself at her, his face streaked and blotchy from crying. She pulled him close and held tightly onto his shoulder, humming softly while he cried.

"He...he left, he left me," he choked out. Evelyn sighed. "I know Jackie, I heard."

"Why?" Jack said, his voice rising, his fingers trembling. "What did I do wrong?"

Evelyn smoothed Jack's hair back from his sweaty forehead and closed her eyes. "Bobby made a decision sweetheart, you didn't do anything wrong."

Jack shook his head and struggled to pull away from her. "No," he cried out. "No, I must have, he wouldn't leave me just cause. I fucked up again," he whispered, the tears running down his cheeks.

Evelyn held on firmly. "You didn't," she said, her voice low and soothing.

Jack gagged on his tears. "I always fuck up, always, and he...he doesn't want me. I'm alone," he said, his voice jagged now.

She held Jack tightly to her. "You're never alone Jackie, not with us. We're your family, and you'll always have us," she said.

"I miss him already," he said softly, his tears slower now.

She held him close and rubbed his back in soothing circles, humming faintly while the sun set and twilight crept into the room.

0000

Bobby shifted uncomfortably on the dining room chair, his eyes firmly fixed on his plate. He could feel the double stares of both Jerry and Angel on him. He struggled with his instinctive urge to throw something, anything to break their concentration.

Jack sat at the far end, his eyes also down, nodding absently whenever Evelyn spoke directly to him. Finally he stood up abruptly, and mumbled something about needing to leave. Evelyn nodded sadly as Jack left the room. She then looked over at Bobby.

He felt his cheeks burn under her intense scrutiny. "Ma, I..." he started to say.

"Damn you Bobby," she said, her voice hard. "You have no idea what you've done."

"I don't need this shit from you, this fuckin' guilt trip," he spat angrily, rising halfway from his seat.

"Sit down," she said, her eyes bright. Bobby sat back down, his glare meeting hers to no effect.

"There's very little in life that Jack holds dear besides you," she said quietly, her steady voice digging into his defenses.

"You're being selfish Bobby, and you've ruined something beautiful. Can you live with that?" she asked. Jerry played with his fork, having given up all pretenses of not listening. Angel scooped another mouthful and chewed as quietly as he could.

Bobby jerked as though he'd been slapped. "I didn't wanna hurt him," he said sharply.

"But you did," she said, her eyes still hard, but her tone softening. "Did you know he still cries every night? That he's been in two fistfights this week alone? That he hasn't been fully sober in over three weeks?"

Bobby's eyes began to burn. He blinked rapidly. "And what the hell does that make me? His goddamn keeper?" he shouted.

Evelyn stood then, her shoulders squared, her eyes spitting fire. "It means you made the wrong choice!" she yelled.

Bobby stared back at her, floored by her sudden outburst. In all his years there, she had never actually yelled at him. "I..." he stuttered.

"God knows I tried with you Bobby, to make you understand that you can't mess with other people's hearts," she said, her eyes now shinning with unshed tears. "And now Jack is broken, and all you care about is some random girl that you thought being with would suddenly make you straight."

Bobby was up before she could blink, his chair crashing against the doorway, his chest heaving as he fought to breathe properly. "Leave her out of this," he growled.

"No!" Evelyn snapped. "You brought her into this when you cheated on Jack!"

Bobby gripped the table, his fingers white with fury. "He was a mistake, I never should have touched him!" he yelled.

Evelyn put her hands down flat on the table. "He was the best thing that ever happened to you," she countered.

Jerry dropped his fork. "C'mon now, Bobby sit down already," he said pleadingly.

"No!" he snarled, throwing Jerry's hand off his arm. "Back the fuck off!"

"You're just using her so you won't have to face the truth," Evelyn said, her voice calm now.

Bobby felt a harsh sob wrench itself from his throat. "I was wrong about him, this is what I should do," he said, his voice rough and ragged.

"You won't be happy with her," she said. "You're afraid, Bobby, and fear doesn't suit you."

Bobby slumped back into his chair, stray tears falling from his burning eyes. "I do love him," he said, sniffing hard. "That's what hurts."

Evelyn nodded. She sat down carefully in her chair. "Then do what's right," she said.

Bobby wiped at his face and sighed. "I never stop fuckin' up do I Ma?" he chuckled bitterly.

"We love ya anyway," Angel said quietly.

0000

Jack stood in front of the house, a lit cigarette in his hand, as he contemplated going back inside. He kicked at the ground in frustration, still nursing the sore knuckles on his left hand. He rubbed at them with his other hand absently, still staring at the house until he heard raised voices coming from inside.

His eyes wide, he edged closer to the house and strained to hear what was being yelled. He frowned as the loud voices faded. Jack pitched his half finished cigarette and pitched it into the yard before going indoors and deliberately letting the door slam heavily behind him. A thick silence hung in the air. Jack sighed and headed upstairs, wanting nothing to do with the tension downstairs.

Evelyn glanced at Bobby pointedly and nodded her head. Bobby sighed and rubbed at his forehead before standing up and leaving the room silently. He moved up the stairs as quietly as he could, his heartbeat echoing loudly in his head.

He stopped at the bedroom door and breathed out shallowly. He turned the doorknob and stepped in. He held onto the doorknob and watched Jack slip out onto the part of the roof closest to his bedroom window. Bobby closed the door behind him and approached Jack's hunched figure nervously.

"Jack?" he stood at the edge of the window frame and waited for Jack to acknowledge him.

Jack glanced over at him. "What do you want Bobby?" he asked, his voice flat, devoid of any emotion.

Bobby climbed out onto the roof and slowly sat down beside Jack. "To talk, I guess," he said.

Jack snorted softly. "Little late for that don't ya think?" he said. He looked away.

Bobby ran one hand through his hair. "Listen Jackie, I…" he started to say.

"Save it, Bobby. I don't wanna hear it," Jack ground out, his eyes burning.

"You could at least let me finish talkin'," he grumbled. "I wanted to tell you that you were right."

Jack blinked, caught off guard by Bobby's admission. "I…I am?" he asked cautiously.

Bobby nodded and rubbed at his forehead, a tell tale nervous gesture with him. "I realized somethin'. I was…afraid," he said lowly.

Jack stared at his hands. "Afraid of what?" he asked softly. "Loving me?" he asked.

Bobby winced. "No, afraid of admitting what I am," he said. "I thought I was doin' the right thing. Be with the girl and all that shit."

"Being with me isn't right?" Jack asked painfully, his heart twisting.

"Fuck," Bobby growled. "I never loved anyone like I love you," he said. "But I got scared y'know? That maybe I was doin' it wrong."

'The only thing that's wrong is not being who you are," Jack said, his voice little above a whisper.

Bobby laughed nervously. "You sound like Ma," he said.

Jack smiled weakly. "Ma says stuff like that all the time, eventually it seeps in."

"So what now?" Jack asked, turning his face away from Bobby, to hide the few tears that ran down his cheeks.

"I don't know," Bobby said miserably. "I want to be with you."

Jack shrugged. "So why not be with me then?" he asked. He turned to face Bobby, his lips trembling in the cool air.

"If you'll have me," Bobby whispered sadly. Jack leaned closer and placed his head on Bobby's shoulder.

"I wanted to hate you, but I couldn't," Jack said. Bobby sniffed, and nodded.

"You should hate me," he said. "Ma said you've been drinkin' kinda heavy."

Jack squirmed slightly. "So?" he asked somewhat defensively. "I coped."

Bobby lifted Jack's chin, and gave him a thorough look. He frowned as he saw some discoloration around one eye. "And fightin'," he added.

Jack shivered. "Just hold me," he said quietly. Bobby pulled him in close and felt his eyes drift shut. He held Jack like he was drowning, like he'd never let go again.

'I'm sorry Jackie. I was wrong, and I'm sorry," he said, feeling his heart twist with guilt.

Jack smiled briefly. "You're with me," he said, "that's all I want."


End file.
